Clinical Services: Psychological/Counseling

To promote the educational, social and emotional development of our students, The Vanguard School maintains a comprehensive clinical staff including certified school psychologists and school guidance counselors.

Psychologists working within our multidisciplinary environment collaborate closely with administrators, teachers, specialists, and especially our guidance counselors to identify student needs and develop intervention strategies. Emphasizing this consultative model, the psychologists' evaluation and consultation at all levels of the program is ongoing. Visits to classrooms, lunchrooms, related services therapy sessions, or accompanying children on field trips afford opportunity for first hand observation. The combination of consultation and observation generates the development of interventions and/or changes in the environment that nurture student growth and confidence.

The school's guidance counseling services emphasize a preventive and educational approach by applying a group guidance format that features the direct teaching of social skills and the use of cognitive behavioral techniques. Students are guided to expand their awareness of the potential positive social impact of their behavior and to develop productive and pro-social strategies to cope with interpersonal conflict.

For our younger students, activities to enhance interactive play skills are taught through Floor Time techniques. These techniques extend children's "circles of communication" beyond an isolated limited focus and expand their cognitive and social functioning.

For our older students, guidance counselors assume the role of case managers monitoring student behavior and academic progress throughout the year, and intervening as necessary to assist in their overall development. Specific behavioral goals for each student are noted in his or her Behavioral Support Plan of the student's IEP. The systematic, planned development of pro-social and life skills is of major importance for all of our students and it is Vanguard's policy to include Behavior Support Plans in the IEP. Behavioral Support Plans list the individual behaviors which the IEP team believes it is appropriate and necessary to focus upon for the current year. The Plans detail the range of intervention options available to accomplish designated goals and objectives, and include reinforcement strategies, logical consequences, and additional techniques designed to strengthen desired behaviors and eliminate negative behaviors.

To assist the student to identify the structure and organization needed in their day, younger students have a daily communication sheet, while some of our older students may have a daily or weekly point sheet designed to stress positive, systematic feedback and communication to both the student and the parent. Students are taught and supported to evaluate their efforts realistically, looking not for perfection but improvement. Most students quickly learn the value of sustaining their effort, recognizing that the consequence is positive and productive. Based on their individual abilities students accomplish tasks, master learning skills, and in doing so, become empowered. Supportive counseling is available to meet specific needs of individual students. In addition, clinical staff welcomes consultation with private therapists or physicians who may be working with some of our students.